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The Story Behind the Song podcast is getting better all the time, and that’s why we’re so excited to officially launch Season 2 of the series today. We’re kicking off our new weekly format with a classic from 1982: Modern English’s “I Melt with You.” Listen to the band’s singer/songwriter Robbie Grey dive into the post-punk smash above, or wherever you get your podcasts. Plus, we have new merch, so check it out below!
One of those rare songs that are instantly recognizable to multiple generations, “I Melt with you” has endured for a reason. Hearing it makes us want to dance, makes us nostalgic — whether it’s for the sounds of the ’80s or the sweet, all encompassing romance of the lyrics. But while the words — which Grey wrote on a scrap of paper in under 10 minutes while sitting on the floor of a home in London’s Shepherd’s Bush — present as a simple love song, there’s a heavier, worldlier story behind their origins.
“This time was nuclear war time,” Grey tells host Peter Csathy. “We’re talking Margaret Thatcher in Britain, Ronald Reagan in America, I think it was Gorbachev in Russia — and it was dangerous, dangerous times. To be honest with you, the actual lyric, ‘I melt with you,’ is about a couple making love as the bomb drops… It was supposed to be about the challenge of being in love at a time when things aren’t very good, aren’t very comfortable around you.”
It was a bleak period that Grey notes led to a lot of great music, from Joy Division to The Cure to Gang of Four. But the optimism of “I Melt with You” (“The future’s open wide”) and the music’s ability to “glide across the top of the vinyl or through the radio station” made the track not just a bright spot of the era, but Modern English’s career. It changed the band’s trajectory, led to their first sold-out concerts, and Grey even draws a line from there to their new album, 1 2 3 4.
Get Modern English Tickets Here
Listen to him explain how as he dives into Modern English’s “I Melt with You” via the player above, or on your favorite podcast platform. Make sure to follow The Story Behind the Song for all the fresh and archival episodes coming in Season 2, and rate and review on Apple Podcasts to show your support for our series.
Also, some exciting new to coincide with the launch fo The Story Behind the Song Season 2: We have merch! Available now at the Consequence Shop, we have a killer new poster (framed and unframed) and a jigsaw puzzle (1,000 piece or 252 piece) featuring an original illustration referencing all the songs and artists from the first three years of the podcast. Grab yours now using the buy now buttons below!
Modern English just released 1 2 3 4 earlier this month, and are heading out on tour in March. After a few dates with The Buzzcocks and some headlining European shows, they’ll be back in North America this summer for the Totally Tubular Festival tour alongside Men Without Hats, Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, Thomas Dolby, Bow Wow Wow, and more. Get tickets here.
You can also follow host Peter Csathy on Threads at @pcsathy and at Deep Cuts Media, and keep up with the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows.